Supermarket operators desire checkout procedures that are as quick and simple as possible so as to maximize productivity, and minimize consumer waiting time. To this end there have been a number of technological advances in recent years, one of the most significant of which is the development of suitable scanners for reading indicia associated with merchandise to automatically register the correct price for the merchandise, and facilitate inventory control. In supermarket checkout counters utilizing scanners, typically a conveyor belt conveys merchandise directly to the front of the scanner, at which point the operator removes the merchandise from the conveyor belt and moves it over a horizontally extending flat plate associated with the scanner. If a mechanism exists for a two-handed procedure, the operator can be moving one item over the scanner with one hand, while depositing another item in an accumulation area and reaching to move a third item into operative association with the scanner with the other hand.
According to the present invention a supermarket checkout counter, and a shopping cart designed for use therewith, which facilitate easy two-handed scanning procedures by the check-out person, and in general minimize the time associated with a checkout procedure, are provided.
According to the present invention, a supermarket checkout counter is provided which includes the conventional components of a scanning means mounted in a scanner module, a keyboard, receipt printer, and a cash drawer. Means are provided, such as wall and support structures, and the like, for defining a workplace at which an operator can be positioned to readily access the scanner, keyboard, cash drawer, etc. Conveyance means are provided leading away from the scanner ultimately to a merchandise accumulation area, at which the merchandise may be bagged.
According to the present invention, a generally vertically extending wall is provided on the opposite side of the scanner from an operator positioned in the workplace, which wall defines an open area adapted to receive an elevated-basket shopping card. Thus instead of a live conveyor mechanism leading to the scanner and the operator removing merchandise to be scanned from the conveyor, the operator removes the merchandise directly from the shopping cart. The flat plate of the scanner module is slanted toward the operator to facilitate the scanning operation as the operator moves an article of merchandise from the elevated basket into operative association with the scanner, and then ultimately to the conveyance means.
In order to facilitate two-handed scanning procedures, two conveyance paths are provided. The first path on one side of the workplace can merely be a stationary horizontal surface which leads directly to the article accumulation area. The second path is defined by first and second live conveyance mechanisms (e.g. conveyor belts), the first live conveyance mechanism being disposed on the opposite side of the workplace from the stationary horizontal conveyance surface, and the second live conveyance mechanism is disposed behind an operator positioned in the workplace (i.e. on the opposite side of the workplace from the scanner). The second live conveyance mechanism leads to the common merchandise accumulation area, and an angled vertical wall facilitates transfer of merchandise from the first live conveyance mechanism to the second. The first live conveyance mechanism is preferably mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis to allow, or block, egress from and ingress into the workplace.
The shopping cart according to the invention includes a wheeled bottom frame, a basket having front and rear walls and first and second side walls, a handle associated with the rear wall, and support between the bottom frame and the basket. The first side of the basket is movable between a first position wherein it forms a side of the basket, to a second position wherein it allows free access to articles within the basket. A plurality of vertically extending support columns extend from the base to the basket and support the basket on the second side thereof, so as not to interfere with the checkout counter when the basket is moved into place adjacent the scanner. Cooperating cam means are formed on the front and rear ends of the basket so that when a first basket front end is moved horizontally into engagement with a second basket rear end, the cam means cooperate to pivot the first basket about a horizontal axis to a nesting-facilitating position. The rear end cam means are defined in part by a child's seat. The handle is pivotally mounted to the child's seat for movement about a horizontal axis from an inoperative position wherein it hangs downwardly from the child's seat, to a second position wherein it blocks ingress to and egress from the child's seat and operates as a handle to facilitate pushing or pulling of the cart.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a checkout system for supermarkets and the like that facilitates checkout procedures that are as quick, simple, and efficient as possible. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.